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'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎183v] (371/386)

The record is made up of 1 volume (189 folios). It was created in 1907. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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108
No 312.
Sir,
70
The Marquess of Lansdoicne to Sir F. Lascelles,
Foreign Office ;
12th September 1901*
Count Metternich called at the Foreign Office on the 9th instant, and
ashed if Sir T. Sanderson could give him any answer to the communication
■which he had made on the 3rd instant respecting Koweit, as recorded in my
despatch No. 301 of the 11th instant.
Sir T. Sanderson said that in that communication Count Metternich had
alluded to an expression used in a memorandum written by me for the King,
which it appears that His Majesty had handed to the German Emperor. This
memorandum was not in any way intended as a formal document for official
communication, but was dictated by me as an informal aide-memoire for the
King’s personal use in compliance w T ith His Majesty’s desire to be furnished
with information in case the Emperor should speak to him on certain questions.
It was not worded with any attempt at verbal precision, and indeed, in the part
relating to Koweit, it contained a singular slip by the use of the expression
“ Transcaspianinstead of “ Anatolian ” Railway. I must, therefore, request
that the paper be considered as an informal and unofficial communication.
Sir T. Sanderson added that the statement contained in the memorandum
in connection with Koweit that His Majesty’s Government have no desire to
interfere with the Sultan’s authority in those regions was in part a recital of
language held by the British Ambassador at Constantinople to the Turkish
Government in 1900, and it would have been a more complete description of
that language to have stated that His Majesty’s Government had no desire to
interefere with the Sultan’s authority as it exists in those parts. This limitation
has always been carefully observed in all communications with the Porte on the
subject, and it is, in fact, implied in the memorandum itself, which states that
His Majesty’s Government did not desire to interfere with the status quo or the
Sultan’s authority.
Sir T. Sanderson observed that the memorandum communicated by Count
Metternich stated that Germany has had no motive for enquiring into questions
of sovereignty or suzerainty with regard to this district. The interests of Great
Britain in tbe Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. had, however, of necessity constantly brought these
questions before His Majesty’s Government. Ihere could be no doubt that the
Sultan’s authority over Koweit is of a very vague and limited description. The
Sheikh belongs to a class of native Chiefs in those regions who enjoy a large
measure of practical independence, and with whom His Majesty’s Government
have found it necessary to have direct relations and arrangements for the sake
of the maintenance of tranquillity and the protection of British trade.
His Majesty’s Government had, however, no desire to raise any question as
to whether Koweit forms an integral part of the Ottoman dominions. But
they considered that attempts by the Sultan to impose by force upon the
Sheikh conditions from which he has always hitherto been free, and which he
has constantly rejected, would be injurious to British interests, and would cause
grave local complications.
In view of the relations which exist between them and the Sheikh, His
Majesty’s Government could not acquiesce in such attempts.
They believed, further, that the result would be prejudicial to the pros
pects of the proposed railway, the success of which they in no way desire to
obstruct.
But the question appeared to them to be one for friendly settlement by
direct discussions between them and the Porte.

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Content

Printed at the GC [Government Central] Press, Simla.

The volume is divided into three parts: Part I (folios 5-47) containing an introduction; Part II (folios 48-125) containing a detailed account; and Part III (folios 126-188) containing despatches and correspondence connected with Part I Chapter IV ('The Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ', folios 28-47).

Part I gives an overview of policy and events in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. region during Curzon's period as Viceroy [1899-1905], with sections on British policy in Persia; the maintenance and extension of British interests; Seistan [Sīstān]; and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Part II contains more detailed accounts of selected topics, including sections on British policy in Persia, customs and finance, quarantine, administration, communications, and British and Russian activity in Seistan. The despatches and correspondence in Part III include correspondence from the Government of India in the Foreign Department, the Secretary of State for India, and the Viceroy; addresses and speeches by Curzon; and notes of interviews between Curzon and local rulers.

Mss Eur F111/531-534 consist of four identical printed and bound volumes. However, the four volumes each show a small number of different manuscript annotations and corrections.

This volume contains manuscript additions on folios 8, 11-12, 14, 42 (a sixteen word note concerning the use by the Shaikh of Koweit [Kuwait] of a distinctive colour [flag] for Kuwait shipping), and 62-66.

Extent and format
1 volume (189 folios)
Arrangement

The volume contains a list of Parts I-III on folio 4; a table of contents of Part I on folio 6; a table of contents of Part II on folio 49; and a table of contents of Part III on folios 127-129, which gives a reference to the paragraph of Part I Chapter IV that the despatch or correspondence is intended to illustrate.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 191; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

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English in Latin script
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'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎183v] (371/386), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/534, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100070118030.0x0000ac> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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